Avignon Marathon set for inaugural race on September 27, 2026
On Sunday, September 27, 4,000 runners will take part in the inaugural edition, crossing the City of Popes.
Organized by Provence Sport Organisation, under the leadership of Bertrand Delhomme and Christophe de Cecco, who also run the Mont-Ventoux Half Marathon, this race fills a gap. Despite its rich heritage, Avignon has long been missing from the national race calendar. Now the City of Popes has its flagship distance.
The course, unveiled this spring, is billed as “a course for everyone. For those who want to discover it and those who want to run fast,” the organizers say.
Starting on Boulevard Saint-Roch, in front of Avignon Centre station, runners will follow the ramparts, pass the City Hall and the Opera House, then head for Barthelasse Island, Europe’s largest river island, where the finish awaits. It is an almost completely flat course, with barely 80 meters of elevation gain over the 42.195 kilometers, and 60 meters for the half marathon.
The 3,500 entries initially available went within a month of opening in late 2025, prompting the organizers to raise the limit to 4,000 runners. That is a strong signal for a race yet to stage its first edition.